Minato Shinden: The Leaves Illuminated By The Flash
by Mr. Grave
Summary: Before he became the Fourth Hokage and the father of Naruto Uzumaki, Minato Namikaze was an Academy student who rose through the ranks. This is the story of all his greatest achievements and the obstacles he had to face to build his reputation as Konohagakure's "Yellow Flash".
1. His Lucky Day!

**I. A RUDE AWAKENING**

**Chapter 1: His Lucky Day!**

"Minato-kun, dinner's ready!" A feminine voice called out to the young boy who, up until then, had been holed up in his room for quite a while. The woman who had demanded the young blonde's presence at the dinner table was Namikaze Asami, his paternal aunt and legal guardian, a 29 year old woman with a medium build, light blue eyes and shoulder-length hair which were almost as fair as her skin. "Coming, auntie!" The boy responded, well aware that if there was one thing to rival his beloved aunt's beauty, it was her volatile temper.

Sure enough, the minute Minato made it out of his room, he had to cope with his aunt's lethal exasperated expression. "Sheesh, what were you even doing there all this time?!" The woman exclaimed as she placed two plates of egg and salmon donburi on the dinner table, her gaze remaining fixed on the young boy before her.

"Scribbling."

"Scribbling?! You're working on that map of yours aren't you? Geez Minato, you're nine years old. You need hobbies that suit a boy your age."

"Sorry auntie, I lost track of time. Next time, I'll help you set the table, I promise." Minato responded with a soft voice and a pleasant, genuine smile as he innocently ruffled the back of his head.

"Ah, well. You don't listen anyway, so there's no point." Asami sighed as her fuse stopped short of exploding. In spite of her temper, she loved Minato as if he was her own son. But, as much as she was appreciative of his talent for taking everything in stride, it could also get frustrating at times. And, having a fierce disposition that's the polar opposite of her nephew, she also had a hard time relating to him.

Minato took her change in temper as a cue to sit on the table. However, before he could even take a step, Asami's inner roulette wheel which dictated her mood went back to "angry" again. She had remembered something from earlier.

"Wait a minute!" She placed her right hand on the table so fast that it even made Minato wince. This time though, the latter had a faint idea what she was mad at him for. He had been secretly hoping she wouldn't bring it up, but he was not surprised she did as he had made no effort to conceal it.

"You weren't wearing these clothes when you went to the Academy today. You left your laundry in the bathroom and it smelled of rotten fish" Asami pointed at the white and blue attire Minato was wearing with a spoon she was holding as she interrogated him. "What happened?"

A weak chuckle was all Minato could let out as he desperately tried to avert his aunt's gaze. There was no point in lying. He was busted. All he could do was come clean and do some damage control afterwards.

"W-Well, y'see, there are these guys that I told you abo-"

"I knew it!" The blond got interrupted before he could stammer a proper response to her inquiry. "Those kids are bullying you again aren't they?! For God's sake Minato, will you at least try to stand up for yourself?!"

"They're already genin, auntie. I can't possibl-"

"Enough making excuses, Minato!" The boy's voice gradually became more resigned as the quarrel went on. "I don't know much about ninjutsu, but I know you're ahead of your peers. I mentioned you to some of the regulars who are shinobi and apparently you're not even supposed to know how to perform _Kage Bunshin_ at your age. One of them refused to believe me when I said that you already could do two nature transformations. I didn't even know that was such a big deal!" The regulars Asami was talking about were the clients who bought fish at their market. The Namikaze were not a shinobi clan - they were a family of fishmongers. As far as Asami knew, they had never produced a shinobi throughout the generations. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she and Minato were the last surviving Namikaze.

"That's it!" The furious blonde went on with her tirade, her fist balling up. "Give me the names of the boys who did this to you. I'll settle this myself!'

Minato went from staring at the ground to panicking, his hands moving erratically as a sign of protest against his aunt's decision. "Please calm down, auntie Asami! There's no need to go that far. I am not bothered by them."

"It's not just about that, Minato." Asami sighed, a telltale sign she was starting to cool down again. As she sluggishly sat on the dining table seat, Minato couldn't help but wonder how cold their dinner must have gotten by now. "Your scores in written exams are at 100 percent. You could have graduated the Academy by now. It feels to me like you're willingly wasting your potential by trying to suppress your talent. How are you gonna be a shinobi respected by the village if you don't make use of your skills? What are you afraid of?" Asami queried, her tone a more motherly one this time. Minato lowered his head in response. At the time, he didn't have the necessary self-esteem to answer his aunt's question.

"Ah well, there's no need to continue this any further. I'm sorry for yelling at you, Minato-kun." Asami broke the silence, a bit concerned that she may have put too much pressure on her beloved nephew. "Sit down and let's dig in." The blue-eyed boy sat on the seat almost reluctantly. It was no doubt that her aunt's scolding had weighed on him a lot, but he wouldn't come to understand the gravity of her words until later.

* * *

The days passed rather uneventfully. Those days turned to weeks and those weeks soon turned to uneventful months. The only difference being that Konohagakure went through a scenery change. The verdant green leaves which concealed the village took an auburn color, signifying the end of their natural lifespan. It was only logical that The Village Hidden in the Leaves seemed most vulnerable during Fall.

Minato was still regularly attending the Academy. He'd woken up at his usual time in his room, which was very tidy and organized to be inhabited by a nine year old boy, and had made the bed as he always did. From his own space, he could hear a muffled sizzling sound coming from the kitchen. That meant Asami was making breakfast. Both her and Minato had matching schedules - Asami had to wake up early to open up shop, while Minato had to be on time for class.

"Good morning, aunt Asami."

"Oh, good morning Minato-kun. You slept well?" Asami greeted back.

"Yeah.", her query met by Minato's rather dull response. She wouldn't hold it against him though - it was seven in the morning. She didn't feel that giddy either.

"Well, let's dig in. We don't want to be late now do we?", Asami spoke cheerfully prompting Minato to respond with a smile - "Yeah!"

Having finished breakfast, they both left the apartment complex together. Asami's shop and the Academy were in the same direction. As they walked, Minato took note of the surrounding scenery. The Five Great Nations were embroiled on a major war that spared no one. With everyone, from exceptional Genin to Jonin-level ninja drafted in that war, the village was left looking barren, a situation that perfectly matched the dreary atmosphere of the season. He could tell that was bothering Asami too. Asides from having to worry about her nephew, her shop and her only way of financial support, was struggling. At the rate things were going, she felt that financial ruin was inevitable.

"Well, this is my stop." Asami spoke, causing Minato's train of thought to screech to a halt. Behind her was a small building with the kanji for "Namikaze" imprinted in the front.

As she stood facing her blue-eyed nephew, she brushed the yellow hair covering his forehead, leaning in and planting a kiss on it. Minato found that embarrasing everytime, but he knew if he'd make a fuss about it, she would only do it more often to spite him.

"Be careful out there. And do your best!" Asami advised. Minato smiled warmly in response.

"Yeah!" He left his parting words as he bolted at an impressive speed towards the Academy.

* * *

"Long time no see!" Minato's fast pace was disturbed by a voice too familliar for his liking. "Oi, Meburi, look who it is. It's our friend, the fish boy!" As he turned his head, Minato saw two boys who dwarfed him in stature. The first one who'd initiated the verbal bullying session was Renma Namanaka, a 14 year old boy with spiky, brown hair and an unsettling combination of sanpaku eyes and a smug, cheshire grin that seemed to be constantly plastered on his face. The other person was Meburi Fujiwase, Renma's teammate and partner-in-crime, a boy of similar stature to the latter, characterized by round, brown eyes and long, straight silver hair extending up to his forehead. They were both wearing combat gear and Konohagakure headbands.

The two boys used to bully Minato relentlessly, especially Renma. However, fortunately for the blond, their duties as genin began to get in their way. The primary point of focus for their bullying was Minato's status as the son of a fishmonger. Both Renma and Meburi were sons of Konoha shinobi themselves, so they reasoned that Minato, as the member of a non-shinobi family, had no place trying to insert himself into the shinobi world.

"Oh, don't run away. We just want to catch up, that's all." Meburi uttered smugly, taking a few steps in Minato's direction as he did so. Minato had no intention of running, however. He knew that if he did, they'd chase him around and make an unnecessary mess.

"What do you guys want?!" a dash of spite was detected in Minato's tone. As remarkably forbearing as he was, Minato did often wonder how well he would fare against them if he decided to roll his sleeves.

"Like I said, we just want to catch up. Right, Renma?" Meburi was now towering above Minato. As he finished his sentence, the young blond felt Meburi's hand slinking around his shoulders. "Yeah, we're friends right?" Renma went on, maintaing that same sarcastic tone as he approached Minato.

The blue-eyed Namikaze understood very well that he was gonna get beaten. And he was fine with it. So long as he could make class in time, he could take it. Fortunately for him, however, he was saved by a distant, adult voice.

"Oi, you two. What are you doing there?" It was Renma's and Meburi's jonin sensei standing along with their third teammate, a girl whom Minato hadn't clashed with. "We're gonna get late for our mission. Come on!"

"Damn!" Meburi groaned, as he removed his arm from Minato's shoulder. "This is your lucky day, fish boy. We'll see you around." Renma followed after. Minato watched them go, having maintained his composure yet again.

By the end of the day, Renma's parting words would pan out to be incorrect - it wasn't Minato's lucky day. It was one of the worst days of his life.

* * *

Minato's Academy life was as normal as it could get. He had a circle of good friends and, word was he also had some fangirls too. That was no surprise. Minato was a good looking boy and would grow up to be one of the most handsome shinobi of his time. However, Minato never indulged them. The only girl he had eyes for was Kushina Uzumaki, dubbed the "Red Hot Habanero" due to her combination of red hair and a choleric temperament that got her in trouble quite frequently. Sadly, most of Minato's attempts to become friends with her failed, which hurt the boy's self-esteem and led him to keep a distance from her.

As he sat at his desk waiting for the class' teacher to arrive, Minato watched as his crush talked to her friend, Mikoto. Having alienated most of the class due to her erratic attitude and her status as a foreigner, Kushina, in stark contrast to Minato, didn't have many friends and would rarely talk to anyone. Mikoto, however, was a different story. She was a raven-haired girl from the Uchiha clan and a very kind spirit. She was also an adept shinobi, consistently holding the top scores in shurikenjutsu, with Minato as the runner-up. In fact, the blond Namikaze had improved his shurikenjutsu from watching her do it in practice.

After a while, Mikoto finished her conversation with Kushina and went to her seat, prompting the young red-haired kunoichi to turn her head, meeting Minato's enamored gaze. The boy immediately steered his eyes elsewhere, his cheeks getting crimson red from the embarrasment. At that moment, the class' door slid open. Their Academy teacher entered, ready to begin with the class.

"See you tomorrow, Minato!"

"Take care, Kaiba!"

Minato greeted back one of his Academy friends, Kaiba Shiranui, who was waving at him as he got picked up by his father. Minato usually went home by himself as Asami didn't close the shop until late. A small distance away, he saw Kushina looking at the other children who were being picked up by their parents. She had what he could only describe as a thousand yard stare, a facial expression not fitting for an 8 year old girl. Since Minato was not a foreigner himself, he couldn't imagine how lonely and ostracized she must have been feeling. He pondered approaching her for a while, but then opted against it, deciding that she would repel his efforts once again if he tried.

The coal-black clouds had gathered in the grey sky like a bad omen, warning of a heavy rain. Looking up, Minato took that as a cue to pick up his pace. As he leapt in a nearby tree, an explosion rattled the murder of crows in the vicinity, 'causing them to smear the sky in an even more ominous darkness, their croaks making the scenery even more hopeless than it already was. "_That's Asami's shop.."_ the Namikaze thought to himself, anxiety taking over his brain.

In those moments, Minato's head went through twenty different scenarios, all worse than the previous one, as he ran as fast as he could towards Asami's location. His heart began beating like crazy, his chest tightened and although he was in peak physical condition, the air in his lungs began to get more scarce.

After making it to a distance where Asami's shop was visible, one of his worst fears was proven. The shop was up in flames. The store front was incinerated, with only the kanji for "kaze" remaining readable. The boy could also make a large concentration of people in the area, some of them he could tell were Uchiha from the Konoha Police. They were gesturing away from the burning store in an attempt to keep the civilians safe.

"Damn, if only we'd been here a bit sooner." Minato heard one of them say as he sped up past him and towards the burning building, the tears which had welled into his eyes dispersing into the air. In an instant, he felt a strong grip on his right shoulder, pulling him back from going into the burning wreckage.

"Oi, kid, you can't be here!" The shinobi spoke. He held back as he saw Minato's pained expression. "M-My...aunt..." is all the boy could muster as the Konoha Police shinobi forcefully carried him to safety. He too empathized with Minato at that moment, as his tone became softer.

"I'm sorry kid. There's nothing we could do."

The second he heard those words, Minato's eyes welled up even more. He wanted to wail, but his chest was tightening to the point that he physically couldn't.

"Hey, you okay, kid.."

"We gotta take him to a doctor."

Those echoey voices is what the blue-eyed blonde heard as he began to lose consciousness.

What began as a normal day was what would mark Minato's rude awakening - the turning point which would make him into Konohagakure's legendary shinobi, _The Yellow Flash_.

* * *

_Author's note: I mulled over writing something like this after reading Itachi Shinden. So yeah, this is gonna adhere as much to the Naruto canon as possible, but I'm gonna also make references to the novels as they go into much more detail when it comes to certain side characters. Obviously, some of the characters are gonna have to be OC, since we don't know much about Minato's childhood. The first few chapters will detail Minato's graduation to Genin and then after that come the Chuunin Exams, which I'm really excited about since I have some crazy stuff planned._

_Hope anyone who reads this enjoys it too. _


	2. Those Who Inherit The Will of Fire!

**Chapter 2: Those Who Inherit The Will of Fire!**

The ticking sound of an old clock was what kept Minato company as he bid his time on the Academy corridor which comprised the Administrative division, waiting to be summoned. The day where he'd become Genin was something he had foreseen a long time ago. But he never expected it to happen before his twelfth birthday, at least not at the slow pace he had been going. Approximately three months had passed since the horrific incident which claimed his aunt's life. According to the Konoha police report, the incident happened as a result of a disagreement between two native shinobi which led to collateral damage. The fight spanned out across a few neighborhoods, claiming the lives of at least three villagers, including Namikaze Asami, and injuring several more. Since then, the suspects had been apprehended and were awaiting trial.

The day was 29th of January. It had been four days since Minato's tenth birthday, a birthday which he didn't celebrate out of respect for Asami, and because he also had other more pressing matters to tend to. The blue-eyed Namikaze had submitted a formal request to be allowed to graduate the Academy earlier than it was intended by the school's curriculum. After all, this was not something unprecedented. Konohagakure's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, was a year younger than him when he got promoted to Chuunin. Minato had sent the request a week earlier, but he'd been left on hold by the staff as per protocol as they sifted through his paperwork in order to confirm his eligibility for a promotion.

As the clock hit eleven, Minato still sat on his seat, silently twiddling his thumbs, awaiting for someone to open the door and call his name. The monotony of the entire situation put Minato in a pensive mood. His mind quickly drifted back to the critical days following Asami's death which led him to a sudden shift in mindset that would forever change his life.

It was a cold October day, a terrible day for a funeral. The sky was covered by the jet black clouds which were forewarning of a downpour. Minato stood before his aunt's grave dressed in clothing so black it even seemed to drain the bright complexion out of his eyes and hair. A few people had attended his aunt's funeral. Some of them were neighbours living in their apartment complex, some of them were her close friends and there were some whom Minato had never made contact with before and had no idea how they were acquainted to her. A bunch of Minato's friends from the Academy were there too; Kaiba attended with his father, while Mikoto and Kushina were escorted by Mikoto's mother.

Each of the attendees had paid their respects and left with the exception of Minato. He had been reduced to a trance-like state. His eyes had gotten droopy and devoid of any emotion. In spite of his best efforts, the blond was not even capable of shedding tears at that moment. He desperately wanted to speak his mind in front of her headstone, but the words wouldn't come out. As he stood there almost lifeless, his head perked up a little bit, having sensed someone else's presence. He had always been rather sensitive to chakra signatures. Once he turned to look behind him, the boy was greeted by a man. He looked to be in his early fourties. He had a tan skin, black spiky hair and a stature which Minato noted to be below average for an adult. He was wearing a black haori with a full length black kimono underneath, as was customary for funerals. In his right hand, he was holding a single white chrysanthemum.

"It seems I'm a bit late. My apologies, Minato-kun. That was rather disrespectful of me." The man spoke as he paced towards Asami's grave. He placed the chrystanthemum on her headstone, among the other items which were left there by the attendees as a sign of respect. Then, he put his palms together and bowed his head slightly as he paced backwards, positioning himself on Minato's left side. The boy's eyes had remained fixed on the stranger as he went through the ritual, and yet he struggled making out exactly who he was was or why he referred to him as "Minato-kun". Only after he returned to his side did the penny drop in his prodigious head.

"S-Sandaime...-sama" Minato stammered in surprise. He had never seen him without his Hokage attire.

"Now, now, no need to be that formal. You can call me Hiruzen." The man, now identified as the Third Hokage, responded, an earnest, radiant smile plastered on his face.

"W-What are...you..d-doing here?" Minato queried, still unable to wrap his head around the whole thing.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to offer you my condolences." Hiruzen replied. "A boy your age shouldn't have to go through such an experience. I'm sorry about your loss."

"But..why? I'm just a stranger." Minato insisted, not satisfied with the Sandaime's reply.

"On the contrary, Minato-kun. I may not know you personally, but that doesn't mean you're a stranger." Hiruzen paused as he looked Minato straight in his eyes before turning his head towards the center of the cemetery. "Every person in this village is connected to one another through _that_." He raised his left hand, his index finger pointing at a statue of what seemed to be a red flame with the kanji for Hokage inscribed in it. Sandaime's gesture caught Minato's attention too as the boy directed his gaze towards where he was pointing. "The Will of Fire." Sandaime put his hand down before continuing. "It is the founding philosophy of this village, the belief that Konohagakure is a big family and that everyone carrying the Will of Fire is more than ready to sacrifice their lives to protect one another."

"Even if they're an outsider?" Minato interjected, reminded of a certain red-haired girl.

"Uhm." Hiruzen nodded with a smile, glad to have finally gotten a somewhat enthused response out of him. "I believe that the Will of Fire is as prevalent in the iron heart of a brave shinobi as it is in the stirred heart of a young boy whose world collapsed overnight. That's why you need to search for it deep in your heart, Minato-kun. It's what will help you remain faithful to your ideals, no matter what they may be, when faced with insurmountable pain."

The young shinobi had been listening intently. However, there was still something weighing him on the inside. His glistening blue eyes were guided down to the ground as he clenched his fist, his knuckles whitening.

"If that's so...then...why..." He mustered, causing Hiruzen to furrow his brows as he lent an ear to his lamentations. "Why do shinobi still fight among themselves?!" As he spat those words, Minato's soft voice went through an uncharacteristic increase in tone. The insides of his eyelids got wetter, though there were no tears spilling out. He instinctively closed his eyes shut, causing two tear drops to slither from his cheeks down to his chin.

Hiruzen sighed, a billow of cold air emerging from his mouth. He understood why Minato brought that up. After all, it was an internal conflict which led to the death of his only living relative.

"I've been searching for the answer to that myself." Hiruzen mused. He steered his sight back to Minato who was gradually devolving into a sobbing mess at that point, desperately gritting his teeth in an attempt to hold his tears back. Hiruzen's words - nay, his mere presence - had really done a number on him.

Sandaime raised his right hand and placed it on top of the boy's lowered head. "It's okay. Let it all out." He pulled the vulnerable young blond towards him, his head now leaning on his chest. "When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village and, once again, the tree leaves shall bud anew." Hiruzen recited. "If there's someone you must blame, it's me Minato-kun. These trying times are only a result of my failings as a Hokage. I have not been able to become the source of light needed for the shinobi of Konohagakure to navigate through this thick, seemingly never-ending darkness."

Minato's hand, which looked crumpled up in comparison to Hiruzen's, reached for the latter's haori. His head had now been completely buried into his chest. His face, though hidden under the covers of the Sandaime's attire, soured as his whimpering evolved into proper wailing.

"Blame me but never lose hope. Even in this darkness, the Will of Fire within you will serve as your compass.

You only need to draw from it's power"

* * *

"_Will of Fire...Village...Hokage...pain" _Those were the key words Minato juggled in his head as he walked to his apartment. He was getting soaked from the drizzle, but the foreshadowed downpour hadn't started yet, so he didn't seem to mind. A little rain hurt nobody. Memories of his late aunt were also intertwined among the snippets of the Sandaime's speech, specifically memories of her encouraging Minato to pick up the slack. He missed her so much.

Part of Minato wanted to believe the philosophy declaimed by Sandaime, but another, slightly more potent part of him believed that it was nothing but blind, idealistic non-sense. Either way, he couldn't stop thinking about it. He didn't know what affected him more - Hiruzen's words or the warm, fatherly manner which he uttered them. Having made it to door 102 after trudging up the stairs, Minato smoothly drew a key from his front pocket and unlocked it, making his way in.

"I'm home." He proclaimed in a faux enthusiastic manner as he removed his shoes, a small part of him still conditioned to expect a fair-haired woman to chime in with a "_Welcome back, Minato-kun." _The living room in the apartment was uncomfortably neat and tidy. Droplets of water formed from the spout and hit the kitchen sink, letting out a dripping sound that was the only source of noise in the apartment. The kitchen, much like the living room, was also dismally spotless. To an outsider, the apartment looked vacant. That wasn't actually too far from the truth.

Minato, now barefoot, skimmed through the living room and made his way towards his own quarters, seamlessly tossing the door key on the dinner table. With his right hand, he ruffled his soaked hair, sprinkling the rug on which he trod on. In stark contrast to the rest of the apartment, Minato's room was a mess. The bed was unmade, there were piles of empty instant ramen cups almost spilling out of a small trash can in the corner of the room and his worksheets, which were normally arranged properly, laid all over the floor. Ever since Asami's death, Minato had stopped being adamant on following a rigid discipline. The Minato of a week ago would have never gone for take-out over home-cooked food. Then again, back then he could have actually willed himself to do something that required that degree of effort.

Exhausted, both mentally and physically, Minato plopped onto his messy bed, assuming a fetal position shortly after. Asami's room was adjacent to his, but he hadn't found the nerve to enter it yet. He was fine with putting it off until he healed, if ever. The raindrops began to trickle down his window. It almost seemed like they were racing one another. Soon enough, the preordained downpour began it's first act, the sound of the furious rain achieving the impossible - lulling the blond shinobi into the first proper nap he'd had in days.

After a few hours had passed, Minato's eyes gradually opened until he came to. Before his brain could even register his surroundings, he extended the thumb on his right hand and wiped the drool that had traveled down his chin. He heard a distant knocking sound as his bare feet strove to make contact with the flooring, a sound which he initially dismissed as just the rain. As he threw a glance to his bedroom's window, he soon realized that was not the case. The rain had stopped. The banging was getting louder. It was the door.

"Tsk." Minato mutedly exclaimed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He willed himself up from his bed and hurriedly headed for the entrance, though not before flicking the light switch in the living room which had been enveloped by gloom as the evening neared. "Who is-" Opening the door, the boy cut himself mid-sentence at the sight of two familiar faces. One was of a boy his age with straight, asymmetrically-cut, shoulder-length hair that were a dull, brown-ish color, same color as his eyes. The other was that of a girl, around his age, with long raven-black hair, her face framed with bangs on both sides that almost went past her chin. Her eyes were an opaque black and had the capacity to awaken the strongest dojutsu in the world, the Sharingan. She was holding what seemed to be a box wrapped in a foulard with the Uchiha clan symbol visible.

"Kaiba...Mikoto..." Minato uttered softly, a bewildered expression escaping his face as he alternated his sight between the both of them.

"Yo, Minato." Kaiba waved.

"Minato, are you okay?" Mikoto queried, her puckered brows denoting concern. "We've been knocking for more than ten minutes, but you didn't answer. And you look exhausted."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just took a nap, that's all." Minato tousled his already disheveled head, mustering a half-smile. "Nevermind that, why are you guys here?"

After a brief pause, Mikoto tossed an irritated look at Kaiba, who had raised his arms and was resting his head on his laced fingers. His eyes met Mikoto's at which point he suddenly recalled the purpose of their sudden visit.

"Oh, right, right." He immediately straightened his posture and fumbled an envelope out of the inside of his jacket which he slowly handed to Minato. "It's not much but it should cover your expenses for this month." Kaiba spoke.

It took a while for Minato to process what was happening. He took a good look at both of his classmates who stood in anticipation of his response. The Namikaze felt the same warm yet simultaneously bitter feeling he'd felt earlier that day, during his emotional talk with the Sandaime. "You guys..." The blond broke the silence, nearly choking on his own words. He raised both of his palms above his waist. "I-I can't accept this." He faltered.

"We've all chipped in a little bit from our allowances," Kaiba spoke. "Even Kushina." Mikoto interjected, almost as if trying to let Minato know that his secret affection for her hadn't made it past her sharp eyes. Plus, Kushina was on Konoha's orphaned kids fund, which Minato was probably gonna be signed up for in the next month or so, so her donating money was a big deal as she had no reliable source of income. "So please, Minato, do us a favor as our friend and accept this." Kaiba went on.

Minato pursed his lips in an attempt to hide the sorry state he was in, though he wasn't fooling anyone. "You guys..." He gritted his teeth, summoning all of his willpower not to break down in front of his beloved friends. He didn't want to make a habit out of it. "Thank you.." The blond replied meekly, taking the envelope from Kaiba's hand. He held it with both of his hands, resting his thumbs on top of it. "I'll repay you all in full." The blond added.

"Take your time, friend. We'll be waiting for you once you're ready to get back to your studies." Kaiba replied thoughtfully, following his statement with a toothy grin. Mikoto nodded in agreement. "Oh, and here. Take this." She put her hands forward in a sudden manner that made it seem like the Uchiha had forgotten she was carrying a sizable object. "My Mom insisted that she heard your stomach growl when she went to pay respects to your aunt this morning, so she made this for you. It's a bento." She gave it to Minato, who put the envelope on top of it, covering the Uchiha crest as he accepted it with both hands. His classmates were not making it easy for him to control his fluctuating mood. "Thank you." Minato showed his gratitude yet again, this time slightly bowing his head forward as he did so. "It seems a little too big, though." He inspected the box while making sure not to tip over the envelope.

"Yeah, my Mom never knows when to show restraint. Sorry." Mikoto replied apologetically, her mouth contorting as she slightly averted her gaze.

"Well, I guess we better get going." Kaiba intruded, looking at Mikoto and then veering his sight back to the blue-eyed Namikaze. "We don't want to overstay our welcome. Get back to us as soon as you can, Minato. The class feels empty without you there." The boy placed a hand on Minato's shoulder before removing it as he headed for the stairs. "Uh-oh, well, see ya, Minato." Mikoto reluctantly followed suit, finding Kaiba's decision a bit too sudden, yet understanding that he probably wanted to give his friend some space.

However, Minato didn't want space. Not anymore. His classmates' altruism had reawakened something in him, something he hadn't felt in days - nay, ever. A newfound appreciation for the friendships he'd made. "Wait!" The blond called out, prompting his classmates to turn their heads around as they'd stopped in their tracks. "I-I...can't eat this by myself. Maybe...you guys...wouldn't mind sharing it with me?" Minato offered shyly, his cheeks tinged with a faint red. Kaiba and Mikoto briefly looked at each other then at Minato. "Uhm!" They both nodded excitedly in agreement.

That evening, Minato had delicious home-cooked food with two of his Academy friends. He got unwanted updates on the latest Academy gossip, with Mikoto slipping Kushina-related news just to gauge his reaction. He belly-laughed at Kaiba's bad jokes. It marked the first time in a week he'd felt genuine happiness. _"Sandaime, is this the Will of_ Fire?" He silently wondered to himself. Whatever it was, he realized something that day. That the bonds he'd made were precious and that he'd need to get stronger in order to preserve them.

That was the day Minato's resolve truly matured.

* * *

"Namikaze Minato?"

"Yeah?"

"You may come in. Kohinata-san's ready for you." A young female called out to the blond shinobi from the entrance threshold. She was dressed in standard Chuunin attire.

Having finished his trip down memory lane, Minato roused himself from the seat, the pain which had overtaken his bright blue orbs a few months earlier now replaced by an unyielding determination. The room he'd found himself in was a rather spacious one, though that could have been an illusion caused by the apparent lack of furniture. In it, he counted nine people. There was a table in the center where three people were seated. The one seated in the middle was Dodai Kohinata, the principal of the Academy, a middle-aged man with a brown flattop and a very distracting goatee. The seat to Kohinata's right side was occupied by Tetsuo Umene, Minato's Academy teacher, a young man with pitch black, spiky hair and whose most memorable trait was a nasty scar extending from his upper left cheek to his lower right. Minato did not recognize the other person, but that didn't stop him for making educated guesses. Judging from his attire, he was a Jonin. The blond figured was either brought for security reasons or to lend his expertise in case a crafty student decided to cheat their way to promotion. Six Chuunin-level shinobi were strategically positioned in the room; three at his right flank and the other three at his left. Minato felt that was a bit overkill, but nevertheless he understood protocol was protocol. Besides, they were in times of war so extra caution was not exactly a bad thing.

"Namikaze, Minato. Ninja Registration Number: 006510." Kohinata spoke rather matter-of-factly, moving his hands at a stack of papers. Minato stood on the center, his white hoodie with green stripes at the shoulders was the only attire in the room that was not a uniform. "Umene-san has forwarded us your application for an immediate promotion to the rank of Genin." He selected a particular sheet from the pile before continuing."Your theoretical understanding of ninjutsu and shinobi concepts is exceptional among your peers. Your practical skills are also above average - your scores in taijutsu, shurikenjutsu and ninjutsu practice are some of the best in your class."

As Kohinata-san showered him with praise, Minato braced himself for a _but. _He knew bureaucracies always followed up with a hard _but_.

"However, in spite of your good scores, this council can not, in good faith, put you up for a promotion. In order to be eligible for such a thing, you must display practical skills that far surpass the practical competence dictated by the intended curriculum for students of your rank. Do you understand, Minato-kun?"

_"This is it!" _Minato thought to himself the moment he heard Kohinata-san's last statement. He knew they wouldn't promote him just like that. He'd been holding his abilities back all his life - it was natural that they would doubt his skills. That was the blond Namikaze's chance to let loose for once.

"I understand." Minato replied politely. "Then, may I be allowed a demonstration?"

The very second those words escaped his lips, Minato noticed wild fluctuations in chakra around him. The observers were riling up in anticipation of the boy's demonstration. They really didn't take any chances.

"You may proceed." Kohinata-san permitted.

Minato closed his eyes, inhaling slowly and then releasing his breath. With one seamless movement, he coupled the index and middle fingers in his right and left hand and quickly formed a cross. Two puffs of white smoke appeared besides him. But before the white smoke had a chance to properly disperse, Minato formed the Seal of Confrontation. _**"HENGE!" **_Three Minatos suddenly spoke in unison, their jutsu creating even more white smoke on top of the one that was subsiding.

"A-Amazing." One of the Chuunin commented.

"He didn't waste a single drop of chakra."

"His chakra control is...f-flawless." Another one added while he adjusted his spectacles.

Minato and his two Shadow Clones had transformed into exact replica of the three men standing before him in the same order they'd seated themselves. He'd done it so effortlessly that it took even the hardened Jonin in the room some time to register what exactly was happening. While the boy would never say it out loud, he secretly reveled in the surprised reactions he'd got from his small audience, a creeping smile betraying his gentle disposition. The jutsu dispelled with one swift move of Minato's fingers. His very convincing impression of Dodai Kohinata disappeared with a puff, in the same fashion like his Shadow Clones.

"Well? What do you think?" Minato spoke, pride building up in his gut. He vaguely wondered if Asami had been watching him from the Pure Land.

* * *

_A/N: Wow. 6 people actually following my first fic. I'm genuinely honored. Thanks a lot guys! I'll try not to disappoint._

_This chapter came out much longer than originally intended and would have actually been longer if I didn't trim it. Some ideas that I omitted were - a chance encounter between Minato and his two bullies, Meburi and Renma, from the first chapter, which was supposed to end with Minato slugging Renma with a fast punch. Minato visiting Asami's grave after his promotion to Genin and his introduction to his genin squad. I'm most likely gonna put the last two scenes in the following chapter, which is gonna sum up Minato's Academy days. I'd also like to mention that the following chapters are most likely gonna take me more time to finish since I have to attend classes and all that shit. _

_As for Minato himself, I always imagined the young him as like a less intense, male version of Hinata. I think Kishimoto intended that too. We know he loved parallels, so Naruto=Kushina/Minato=Hinata. It made a lot of sense, actually. _

_Next chapter's titled: "The Gallant and The Flash!"_

_Again, thanks a lot and I hope you enjoy!_


	3. The Gallant and The Flash!

_A/N: I launched this chapter ahead of time to show those few people following this story that I haven't abandoned it. It's just that real life turned out to be more hectic than I anticipated. I'll try and finish it by the end of this week and update it. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy this 'preview'._

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Gallant and The Flash!**

It was a dark midnight in Konohagakure. The only source of light, asides from the pale moon, was coming from the sentries scattered around: two watch-towers in the main gate and several patrols on the ground, pacing back and forth in a predetermined route. There were also dim lights emanating from Konoha's Hospital and a small, well-hidden facility in which shinobi in charge of the invisible barrier around the village were working incessantly. Within walking distance of the Hokage Rock, in which the stoic faces of Konohagakure's leader and his predecessors were carved, there was a building with a red and white color palette that would usually stand out among the rest if it wasn't for the indiscriminate pale blue hue that had dripped over the village. The kanji for 'fire' was imprinted in it.

To a keen yet uninformed eye, there was a lot wrong with that building. For starters, it was the only building where the second story window was completely open, a faint whiff of smoke emerging out of it and then immediately having it's trajectory changed by the light breeze of Spring. The end of the night signalled the end of the first month. It was already first of February. Another notable feature was that the first floor seemed depressingly vacant. Whoever lived there was used to a solitary life: a life filled with battle and diplomatic hardships. The life of a Hokage.

The interior of the second floor of the Hokage Residence was rather spacious. The man himself idled in the back, his legs crossed and his back slightly hunched, a brown pipe hanging from his mouth. He had abandoned his formal Hokage attire for a more comfortable set of black, silky clothes. He had intentionally positioned himself away from the window. His legendary prowess gave him the luxury of a little bit of carelessness, but even the strongest shinobi in the Leaf was wary of any potential attempt on his life, especially considering the Five Nations were embroiled in a vicious war and there were a lot of Hidden Villages after his head. In front of him, there was a shogi table. The pieces on his side were already set up but there was no one to initiate the game opposite him.

The sigh which escaped Sandaime's chapped lips as he puffed out an impressive amount of smoke was quickly drowned by the choir of cicadas outside. The middle-aged man frowned in anticipation. His chakra flared. His ears perked up. The door creaked open but only a little bit. The line of sight was so small that, to the untrained eye, it might have seemed like the creak was the work of the seasonal breeze. However, in that 1/10th of a second, Hiruzen was able to make out a spiky, white mane in the dark. A whoosh sound pierced the air as the Sandaime instictively raised his right hand up, clasping what seemed to be a cylindrical object. The movement was so fast that the puff of smoke coming from the pipe went past his face, 'causing him to glower in response. In spite of his speed, there was no sense of urgency looming over the Sandaime's actions; he already knew who was behind the door.

"When did you sense me?" A sturdy voice broke the silence.

"Since you entered the Residence." Hiruzen replied matter-of-factly, placing the scroll which was thrown at him near the shogi table before using the same hand to remove the pipe out of his mouth, though not before exhaling another mass of smoke.

"And here I thought paperwork had made a geezer like you duller."

The door had been completely open. A tall man came in - so tall, in fact, that he slouched as he passed through the threshold. He was wearing a black attire with a grey armor plate over it, standard Jonin combat attire of the time. Two white, spiky bangs framed his face, going past the bandana with the Leaf symbol and reaching up to his shoulders. His hair was tied up and resembled a lion's mane, covering his back. He was modestly handsome, with two distinguishable red lines of paint drawn from his eyes to the lower parts of his cheeks and a small wart on the left side of his nose.

As his eyes adjusted to the mighty figure before him, a smile formed in Hiruzen's face.

"You're not the first person to make that mistake, Jiraiya-kun."

The man, now revealed to be the Honored Sage, Jiraiya, smiled back at his Sensei's uncharacteristically boastful response. He made a mental note of the shogi table before traipsing towards it.

"Long time no see."

"Indeed." Hiruzen responded, placing his left hand's thumb on the smoking pipe, depriving it of oxygen.

"How are the kids?"

"They're doing fine."

"And how's Biwako-sama?" Jiraiya queried with a pained grunt as he sat down opposite to his sensei, a small wince betraying his controlled facial expressions.

The Sandaime slightly furrowed his brows as he traced his underachiever pupil's sluggish movements. Empathy welled up inside him, but he made sure it didn't show too much in his face. He knew how prideful Jiraiya was; he never reacted well to any open display of pity towards him.

"She's in the hospital with Tsunade, treating the wounded. Said she's gonna have to pull another all-nighter."

"Ah. There's no such thing as normal working hours in times like these, eh?" Jiraiya spoke, having assumed a legs crossed, back hunched position just like his Sensei, though he looked about a foot taller than him even then. He began arranging the pieces on the shogi table.

Hiruzen nodded wistfully in response. For a while, there was no noise besides the singing cicadas and the clack which the shogi pieces made as they struck the wooden board.

"So, Jiraiya-kun, what have you got for me?" Hiruzen eyed the scroll to his right

"Some details," Jiraiya replied, his sight fixed on the table. "But I'm sure you're already on the know about the big news. Iwagakure's officially entered the game."

Hiruzen was well aware of what the Jonin was referring to. Iwagakure was the only country who had been taking part in the ongoing war via proxies and, for a while, was Hiruzen's only hope for a peaceful resolution to it. Unfortunately, the Hokage failed to capitalize on it. Iwagakure began to get more closely involved with the war until they eventually deployed their own troops, effectively escalating it. What was once referred to as The Great War quickly became the Second Shinobi World War. Different leaders had different views on this recent development. To the Sandaime, it was the worst possible outcome. It meant more troops deployed and therefore more lives lost.

"Are those details something to fret over?"

"I guess." Jiraiya responded, having finally organized his pieces. With a seamless move, he put forth one of his pawns. "Kumogakure have secured the favor of Amegakure's leader, Hanzo. He's allowing their troops passage through the village in exchange for a monthly supply of necessities - clothes, food, water."

"Hanzo The Salamander?" Hiruzen queried almost immediately, carefully advancing one of his pieces in the table.

"You know him?" Jiraiya didn't recognize the epithet but still raised his head inquisitively. After what seemed like an eternity of looking at the board, his sight was finally met by his Sensei's assenting nod.

"I may have butted heads with him once or twice during the last World War. Back then, he used to work as a mercenary."

"Was he tough?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Jiraiya's eyes lingered on Hiruzen's aging face. There was an unspoken but in the manner he delivered his reply which Jiraiya withheld from commenting on, choosing to put his focus back on the game at hand as it went on. Besides, there was a lot of valuable intel which had been compiled in the scroll - it was impossible to sum all of it up in one night.

After a few seconds of silence, the air around the Jonin shifted, his face lighting up. Hiruzen noticed immediately but didn't bother to lift his head."So, Geezer-sensei, what was it that gave me away?" He asked, rubbing his nape as he stretched back, using his left hand as a crutch. "I suppressed my chakra signature almost completely and I'm a hundred percent sure I didn't make any noise."

"Your smell." Hiruzen fired back immediately, a crooked smirk forming as his student's face contorted humorously in response. "I've got a good nose. And you smell like a wet frog."

"Eeeeh?" is all Jiraiya could muster as he began sniffing his armpits. The exaggerated action prompted a joyful chuckle from the Sandaime, his eyelids stretching into thin lines. For a brief second, he slipped into the figure of Sandaime as seen from the eyes of a child - the friendly man who seemed to always make time to talk earnestly to the villagers.

"I really need to take a shower." Jiraiya spoke miserably.

"Yes, you do." A decisive clack nearly echoed around the room. Jiraiya looked down at the board only to be greeted by a checkmate. His shoulders slouched tiredly once again.

"Well, shit." He cursed under his breath before using his hands to huddle all the pieces together. "Remind me of our win-loss ratio again?"

"Twenty five to nil."

"Yeah, that figures." Jiraiya spoke in a comically dejected tone. Shogi was not his game. He was not a particularly cerebral person, though his skills for espionage and subterfuge were unmatched by everyone in the Leaf, including Konohagakure's prodigious genius, Sakumo Hatake.

"I may have something that will cheer you up." Hiruzen said almost proudly. Immediately, he removed the shogi board out of the way in preparation. With an effortless formation of seals, he placed his hand on the ground, 'causing a small puff of smoke and leaving a summoning mark on the carpet. Out of thin air, a scroll had materialized in his left hand. Jiraiya cupped his chin as he leaned forward, trying to read the writing on the scroll. It had the kanji for "4" inscribed in it. A bemused expression overtook his face.

"Remember when you applied to have your own Genin team?" Hiruzen continued.

"Tsk. Is that what this is?!" Jiraiya retreated back apathetically. "Geezer-sensei, you have the worst timing. I applied almost a year ago. Things were different back then. I can't take care of a team right now, you need me out th-"

"Not for another two months, I don't." Hiruzen interjected. With a quick flick of the wrist, he threw the scroll to Jiraiya who caught it with minimal effort. "Jiraiya," Hiruzen continued, the lack of a honorific a telltale sign that he was gonna admonish him, even if lightly. "What have I taught you all these years? No matter the era, one must always find the time to nurture the next generation. Our future depends on it."

"Even so, what am I gonna teach these kids in two months?" Jiraiya grumbled.

"I trust you'll do your best. I've picked a suitable team for you." Hiruzen replied. "One of those boys is special."

The words piqued Jiraiya's interest, if only slightly. As amicable as he was, it was not often that the Sandaime praised someone without merit. Suddenly, flashes back to a different point in time began to assault the young Jonin. He recalled himself standing in front of the Great Toad Sage, Gamamaru as he delivered a prophecy - that the young Sage would one day train a shinobi who would either bring great peace or great destruction to the Shinobi World. Jiraiya eyed the scroll for a bit and thought of popping it open. In the end, he decided against it; there was a long list of things he had to do before that.

"I understand." Though determination surged through Jiraiya's veins, he still spoke begrudgingly. "I'll do my best."


End file.
